Folding box closure and fastener therefor



March 2, 1937. a. KAPLAN 2,072,371

FOLDING BOX CLOSURE AND FASTENER THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, 1936 swam boo Sham/134 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BOX CLOSURE AND FASTENER,

THEREFOR It is an object of this invention to provide novel means for securely fastening the cover of afolding container in closed position.

A further object is to provide in a paperboard, fibreboard, cardboard or like box a novel arrangement of fastening members each coated with a dry, cohesive but non-adhesive substance whereby the box may be securely fastened in closed position merely by placing the coated surfaces one on the other and pressing them together.

The invention will be best understood by ref-' erence to the accompanying drawing in which Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the blanks of sheet material for the body and cover respectively of a box of the telescoping type having my improved fastening means;

Fig. 3 is across-section through the closed and fastened box;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, isometric view illustrating the folding of the box cover; and

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the cover or outer section of the box.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bottom or inner section of the box has a main bottom panel II] to which is foldably joined, along crease lines I I, a pair of side walls I2. End walls I3 are joined to the panel I0 along crease lines I4. The crease lines II and I4 extend entirely across the blank and define corner portions I5 which are creased diagonally along lines I6. Integral with the side walls I2 are fastening flaps I 1 adapted to fold inward upon the inner surfaces of the walls I2 and corner portions I5 when the blank is folded to box form. Extending. along each of the crease lines II and I4 is a narrow opening or slot and adjoining these openings the panel I0 is cut to form integral tongues I8 near the walls I2 and similar tongues I9 near the walls I3. The cover or outer section of the box of preferred construction is creased as indicated in Fig. 2 to form a main panel 20, side walls 2|,

end walls 22, corner portions 23 and fastening folds 24 integral with the walls 2|. These fastening folds are cut transversely to form flaps 25.

Similar flaps 26 project from the walls 22. Diagonal creases 2'I facilitate the folding of the corner portions 23 to the triangular shape best shown in Fig. 4 when the blank is folded to box form.

- The surfaces of the blank indicated by stippling are coated with a gum or like substance of cohesive but non-adhesive character. A suitable gum for this purpose has as its principal ingredient a crude concentrated rubber latex. A

preservative, for example ammonia. is commonly employed in a latex dispersion which I prefer to dilute so that, when applied, it contains about of water and preservative and about 20% by weight of rubber. A small 'quantity of rosin or other ingredient for hastening the drying and coagulation of the latex is also added. Such a dispersion is preferably sprayed onto the designated portions of the blanks which are then passed through a drying chamber in which the moisture and ammonia are rapidly evaporated and the latex coagulated leaving the coating in a dry, non-sticky condition.

. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a coating of the type described is applied to the inner surfaces of the folds I1 and 24 and flaps 25 and 26 as well as on the normally upper half of the walls I2 and 2| and corner portions I5 and 23. A small spot or area 28 of the gum is also placed on each of the walls I3 near the tongues I9 and similar coated areas 29 are provided on the walls I2 near the tongues I8. Smallareas 30 adjacent to the flaps 25 (Figs. 2 and 4) of the walls 2| are preferably left dry or uncoated so that the flaps 25 will not inadvertently be secured to the walls 2| in folding the blanks as hereinafter described.

The box illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 maybe quickly and easily formed byfolding the blanks illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 along the crease or score lines and the several walls are secured in proper rectangular position relative to the main top and bottom panels by folding the corner portions I5 and 23, as indicated in Fig. 4, and then turning down the folds I1 and 24 and pressing them upon the inner surfaces of the triangular corner portions and walls I2 and 2|. No moistening is required and the mere pressing of the gummed surfaces-together forms a secure bond. Thecover or outer section of the box has the flaps 25 and 26 projecting as illustrated in Fig. 5. When the box is to be closed the top or outer section is placed in telescoping relation to the bottom section with the walls of the formeruponthe exterior of the walls of the latter. Finally the box is secured in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 3 by merely folding the flaps 25 and 26 inward and upward into the inner section While pressing the tongues I8 and I9 out of the way. These tongues allow the gummed flaps 25 and 26 on the cover section to fold upward to overlap the gummed areas 28 and 29 and upon pressing the gummed surfaces together the tongues 25 and 26 firmly adhere to the inner surfacesof the walls I2 and I3 to thereby secure the box in closed position. The tongues it and i9 spring back into their normal position in the plane of the bottom I0 and a sufficient opening is provided at the free outer ends of these tongues to allow the tongues and 26 to pass.

It is to be understood that my characterization of the coating or gum as cohesive but nonadhesive refers to the condition of the composition after it has been caused to penetrate and adhere to the surfaces of the blanks and has been dried. In this condition two coated members may be firmly bonded together by merely pressing the coated surfaces one on the other, but the coating is non-adherent in that the blanks can be handled or packed in stacks front to back, one upon the other, without adherence to each other or to other objects with which the blanks normally come in contact.

My improved containers may be used as mailing boxes and wherever great strength and secure sealing of the box in closed position is desirable or necessary. It has further advantages for department store use as a merchandise, dress or suit box and has many other uses which will be obvious. For most uses, one pair of the flaps 25 or 26 are sufficient to retain the box in closed position with ample strength and eitherpair of these flaps may be omitted. Obviously, no cord or other binding member is required and much time and labor is saved by my device. The cost of the box is also reduced as compared with other boxes of equal strength known to me.

The blanks preferably have the coating on one surface only of each, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that they may be stacked for shipping and storage front to back without danger of their adhering to each other.

The improvements described and claimed herein are not dependent on securing the side and end walls of the box together by the gum described herein.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a box constructed from foldable sheet material and having telescoping sections, a flap folded into engagement with an interior surface of said inner section, an opening being formed in the inner section to receive said flap, and a dry, cohesive but non-adhesive coating on the overlapping surfaces of said flap and inner section whereby said sections may be secured in closed position by pressing said flap on said coated interior surface of the inner section of the box.

3. The combination in a box having telescoping outer and inner sections, each having walls, of flaps formed on opposite walls of said outer section to be folded into engagement with inner surfaces of the inner section, openings being formed in the inner section to receive said flaps and coatings of a cohesive but non-adhesive substance on the surfaces of said flaps and inner surfaces of said inner section overlapped thereby to retain said sections in telescoping, closed position.

4. In a box having telescoping outer and inner sections, each having a main panel and four walls, flaps formed on opposite walls of said outer section to be folded into engagement with the inner surfaces of the overlapping Walls of the inner section, openings being formed in the main panel of said inner section to permit folding of said flaps upon said inner surfaces, closures integral with said main panel and adapted to resiliently close said openings, and coatings of cohesive but non-adhesive substance on the surfaces of said flaps and inner surfaces of said inner section overlapped thereby to retain said sections in telescoping, closed position.

BEN KAPLAN. 

